Asbestos testing
Everyone
that has ever heard of asbestos knows that it is extremely dangerous.
Nevertheless, not everyone is familiar with what this toxin is and what
kind of precise dangers it poses to those individuals that are exposed.
Let's take a look at some of the dangers associated with this hazard
below.
Asbestos
is actually a mixture of six natural minerals and it can be found in
older buildings, older textiles and older plastic products. It is much
like fiberglass in consistency and when it is airborne it is extremely
dangerous and toxic to humans and animals alike. Asbestos, when airborne
can lead to a disease termed, asbestosis - a form of lung cancer. In
essence, long term exposure results in the damage of lung tissues which
are irreversibly scarred and permanently damaged.
Anyone
who has endured long term exposure may begin exhibiting the signs and
symptoms frequently associated with asbestosis: severe difficulty
breathing, spasmodic coughing fits, and in worse case scenarios,
exposure can lead to death. Likewise, gastrointestinal cancer, cancer of
the esophagus, mesothelioma, cancer of the intestines, is also a risk
for those that are exposed. In addition, exposure to asbestos has also
been known to wreak havoc with the human immune system, weakening it to a
state where it does not function properly. Clearly, exposure to this
natural hazard is extremely dangerous. Yet, what can people do to
protect themselves from exposure? No matter where one discovers a source
of these minerals, whether they are from old building materials like
special cement or other products, it is imperative that they act quickly
to have them immediately removed.
There
are a number of companies that focus on the removal of this toxic
hazard. Testing can be conducted to detect the hazardous material and if
the test proves positive it is imperative that the property owner takes
measures to ensure its immediate and safe removal.
No
one should ever attempt to remove hazardous, toxic material themselves:
especially in terms of asbestos. The removal of this particular toxin
requires trained professionals who are skilled at handling such poisons.
First, the material will need to be wetted to keep the it from becoming
airborne and threatening those in the surrounding area. Next, the toxic
waste will need to be professionally contained and sealed and removed
from the location. Workers will be required to wear special equipment to
protect themselves, like respirators, coveralls, rubber boots, eye
protection and rubber gloves to prevent the toxins from entering the
body.
Further,
warning signs will need to be posted during the process of removal. Air
conditioning and heating systems cannot be used during the process of
removal because doing so would promote the toxin's airborne travel.
Likewise, any area being worked will have to be sealed off until the
removal process is complete. Finally, all removal work will have to be
followed up with a decontamination process. Clearly, the removal of this
dangerous toxin is something that is better left to the professionals
that are used to handling it.
